10 November 1998

ENGLISH ONLY

UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES⁽¹⁾

Fourth session

Buenos Aires, 2-13 November 1998

Item 4 (d) of the provisional agenda

1. In addition to the submissions already received and contained in documents FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.6 and Add.1, Add.2 and Add.2/Rev.1, three additional submissions have been received.

2. These submissions are attached and, in accordance with the procedure for miscellaneous documents, are reproduced in the language in which they were received and without formal editing.

Paper No. Page

1. Australia 3

2. Austria (on behalf of the European Community and its

member States) 4

3. United States of America 5

PAPER NO. 1: AUSTRALIA

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Having conducted the second review of Article 4.2 (a) and (b) of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change,

1. Concludes that Article 4.2 (a) and (b) of the Convention is not adequate to achieve the objective of the Convention as set out in its Article 2;

2. Agrees that the Kyoto Protocol is an important step, but that further action is needed to meet the objective of the Convention;

3. Confirms that developed country Parties and other Parties included in Annex I shall continue their efforts as provided for under Article 4.2 (a) and (b) of the Convention;

4. Confirms that action by developed country Parties and other Parties included in Annex I alone will not be adequate to meet the objective of the Convention;

5. Decides:

(a) that the Conference of the Parties shall, at its fifth session, consider additional steps that may be necessary to fulfil the objective of the Convention, and the time-frame in which such steps should be taken;

(b) that the third review of adequacy of Article 4.2(a) and (b), under Article 4.2 (d) of the Convention, shall be undertaken in 2001, on the basis of recommendation by the SBI, advice from the SBSTA as necessary, and the best scientific information available (including the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC), as well as other relevant technical, social and economic information;

(c) that further reviews of adequacy of the Convention under Article 4.2 (d) shall be conducted in conjunction with reviews of progress towards achievement of the objective of the Convention under Article 7.2 (a) and (e) and review of the composition of Annexes I and II under Article 4.2 (f) of the Convention;

6. Urges earliest possible ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by all Parties.

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Having conducted the second review of the adequacy of Article 4.2(a) and (b),

1. Reaffirms that Article 4.2(a) and (b) is not adequate for the fulfilment of the objective of the Convention;

2. Recognizes that the Kyoto Protocol is an important step;

3. Urges Annex I Parties to continue to make every effort to return to their greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels as provided for under subparagraphs (a) and (b) of Article 4.2 of the Convention;

4. Decides that further action is needed in response to the second review of the adequacy of Article 4.2(a) and (b), in meeting the objective of the Convention:

• To make an assessment of the concentration levels at which greenhouse gases need

ultimately to be stabilized in the atmosphere and the time frame over which this should be achieved to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system; and the implications for global emissions;

• To examine the obligations of the Parties to the Convention, as required by Article 7.2 including assessment of the capacity of Parties to meet those obligations; the scope for the obligation of some or all Parties to be strengthened; including by the assumption of limitation or reduction targets; adoption of policies and measures and ways and means of assisting non-Annex I Parties through bilateral and multilateral channels in the fulfilment of such obligations;
  
  5. Decides: [on the further review of adequacy of Article 4.2(a) and (b)] That a third review of the adequacy of Article 4.2(a) and (b) should be undertaken at COP/MOP 2, together with other relevant reviews including that under Article 7.2 as envisaged by Article 9 of the Kyoto Protocol, but in any case no later than 2002, when - on the basis of recommendations by SBI, drawing on advice by SBSTA, as necessary, as well as other relevant technical, social and economic information - the COP should decide on appropriate next steps.

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Having conducted the second review of the adequacy of subparagraphs (a) and (b) of Article 4, paragraph 2 of the Convention,

1. Reaffirms that subparagraphs (a) and (b) of Article 4, paragraph 2 are not adequate to achieve the objective of the Convention as set out in Article 2;

2. Recognizes that the Kyoto Protocol is an important step in meeting the objective of the Convention, but that further action is needed;

3. Confirms that action by developed country Parties and other Parties included in Annex I alone will not be adequate to meet the objective of the Convention;

4. Decides that the Conference of the Parties shall consider additional steps that may be necessary toward fulfilment of the objective of the Convention, and the time frame in which they should be taken, at its fifth session;

5. Decides that the third review of the adequacy under Article 4.2(d) of the Convention shall take place at the next session of the Conference of the Parties after publication of the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, but in no event later than 31 December 2001;

6. Decides that, in conjunction with the third review of the adequacy under Article 4.2(d) of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties shall review available information with a view to taking decisions under Article 4.2 (f).

1. Including the ninth sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation.

FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.6/Add.3

EZE.98-